Unified Messaging server role in Exchange 2007

The Unified Messaging server role is a completely new role for Exchange 2007 and allows you to combine all types of messages in a single inbox that users can access from a telephone, a computer or a portable device. Before Exchange 2007, most IT departments managed their voice and fax messages separately from emails. Often, to provide all three types of messaging, it was necessary to have three different systems: a PBX and a voice mail server for voice, fax machines or fax server autonomous central and an Exchange server. Unified Messaging combines these systems into one Inbox.

The Unified Messaging server role provides the following features for organizations that use Exchange 2007.

• This includes answering call answering incoming calls to a user, play greetings to each user, record a voice message and send it delivered to your inbox.
  
• Receiving fax This includes receiving incoming faxes and route them to the Inbox of a user as an attachment to an e-mail.
  
• Subscriber Access This feature allows users to connect to the Unified Messaging server and access their mailbox using Outlook Voice Access. Users can navigate through the system using the telephone keypad or voice giving instructions. The user can perform the following tasks.
  
  • Listen to voice messages and act accordingly.
    
  • Listen, forward and reply to emails.
    
  • Listen to calendar information.
    
  • Access contact information and dial contacts stored in the Global Address List or Contacts folder.
    
  • Accept or cancel meetings.
    
  • Play and record personal messages of greetings and messages out of office.
    
  • Set user security preferences and personal options.
• This auto attendant is a series of voice prompts that callers hear as access the UM system. The automated attendant lets callers move through the system using the telephone keypad or voice prompts to identify a user, or make a call.

Exchange ActiveSync is a synchronization protocol based on HTTP and XML designed to be used on a wireless phone or Internet access. The data is transferred on a slower connection over a cellular network connection at high speed. Exchange ActiveSync is designed to be used with these networks with high latency and low bandwidth and to rapidly transfer information between Microsoft Exchange Server and the mobile device used. Exchange ActiveSync can synchronize e-mail messages, contacts, calendar and tasks. When an organization is equipped with the UM system, it becomes possible to synchronize the voice and fax messages attached to this e-mail in your Inbox.

Outlook Web Access provides access to their Exchange mailbox from any web browser There are two versions of Outlook Web Access in Exchange 2007: Premium and Light. Outlook Web Access Premium provides access to all data of the mailbox in Exchange 2007. You can also view and manage mobile devices, set Out of Office options, group, sort, and flag messages, browse the Global Address List and search your Exchange mailbox. Outlook Web Access Light provides access to e-mail, calendar and contacts. It does not support activities or notes. You can sort the messages, but not group them, change the view or mark them for future completion.

Outlook Anywhere for Exchange 2007 allows you to utilize Outlook 2007 client and Outlook 2003 to connect to the Exchange server via the Internet using RPC over HTTP Windows networking component. This eradicates the require for a virtual private network (VPN, Virtual Private Network) for the company’s network of going and also enjoys the full functionality of Outlook. Outlook Anywhere was known as RPC over HTTP in Exchange 2003. With Exchange 2007 this functionality has been enhanced and improved while simplifying the aspects related to distribution and administration of the program. In the past, deploying RPC over HTTP necessitates significant work to server configuration. In Exchange 2007 instead simply use the setup wizard in Outlook via the Internet on a computer running Exchange 2007 that has the Client Access server role installed. All users with mailboxes on Exchange 2007 are automatically enabled to access Outlook via the Internet.